Happy Tail: This Doberman mix is a chick magnet

byJoan, staff writer

The family was overwhelmed with dogs. In addition to their own three, two adult strays and four puppies were living under a travel trailer in the yard. When one of the dogs ran into the street, a passing motorist hit him. She stopped to help, and the best help she gave was to call the Humane Society of Marion County, TX. They took the strays in and posted them on Petfinder for adoption.

Meanwhile, in Mississippi, Suzanne Sanders was grieving over the death of her beloved 16-year-old Doberman Pinscher mix. “I thought about whether to get another dog, but was not sure I had the time,” she says. “I am a single professional and work long hours. My mom, who lives with me, said she didn’t want to get attached to another dog so soon out of fear of how she would feel if something happened to it.”

Hondo traveled a long way to find a home.

Still, Suzanne began looking on Petfinder, primarily at Dobermans or Doberman mixes. She saw the photo of one of the stray pups, but he was so far away that she continued searching for about a month. One day she saw an updated photo of him. “He was growing into his ears and was such a handsome little guy.”

She decided East Texas wasn’t so far away after all and submitted an application to adopt him. After a rigorous vetting process, the application was approved. When Suzanne told her mother she was driving to Texas to get a dog, her mother responded, “Texas! You can go down the street by Walmart and adopt a dog.”

But Suzanne’s heart was set on the stray pup, now called Hondo, and one of the shelter staff agreed to bring him as far as Louisiana. Upon first meeting, it didn’t take long for Hondo to warm up to Suzanne.

“He’s a lady’s man, ” she says. He warmed up to Suzanne’s mom as well, and she was smitten with him.

Out in public, “the lady’s man” attracts a lot of attention from women. “They come up, saying how pretty, handsome, cute or sweet he is,” Suzanne says. “I joke with him and ask why he can’t be a guy magnet and not a chick magnet since ‘momma’ is still single.”

Suzanne is taking him to training classes now. “Even though I’m very busy, I’ve found that Hondo gives me a focus besides work,” she says. “He’s great for stress relief and is a great pal.”